Comfort layers are commonly used in seating or bedding products above/below a core, which may or may not include a spring assembly. The core is most commonly a pocketed or unpocketed spring core, but the core may be made partially or entirely of foam. Such comfort layers may include foam, fiber and gel products. U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,968,202 and 9,943,173 each disclose a comfort layer made of pocketed springs configured to overlay a spring core of a bedding or seating product. Such comfort layers commonly have one layer of fabric above and one layer of fabric below individually pocketed mini coil springs. The fabric is chosen to control air flow between pockets and into and out of the pockets.
One drawback to such pocketed spring comfort layers is that a mattress manufacturer may desire to place one or more foam or fiber layers above such a pocketed spring comfort layer so that a user does not detect or feel the pocketed spring comfort layer. In the case of a double-sided bedding or seating product, a mattress manufacturer may place one or more foam or fiber layers above one pocketed spring comfort layer and below another pocketed spring comfort layer on the opposite surface of the product.
It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide a pocketed spring comfort layer adapted to overlay a spring core of a seating or bedding product which may eliminate the need for a mattress manufacturer to place one or more foam or fiber layers above the pocketed spring comfort layer.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a pocketed spring comfort layer adapted to overlay a spring core of a seating or bedding product which may reduce the number or thickness of foam or fiber layers a mattress manufacturer may elect to place above such a pocketed spring comfort layer, thereby reducing the cost of the finished mattress by the cost of such layers and the associated cost of applying them.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a pocketed spring comfort layer adapted to overlay a spring core of a seating or bedding product which has a unique feel combining the feel of individually pocketed mini coil springs and the luxury feel for a polyurethane, visco-elastic or latex foam comfort layer.